If you've got a Netgear Arlo camera, change your passwords now

Secure your Internet of Things

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If you've got some kind of Netgear Arlo camera installed at home, it's probably a good idea to take a few minutes to change the password on it. Netgear says it's spotted some "suspicious activity" around accounts, and wants to err on the side of caution.

Netgear's own databases and systems haven't been breached, the company says, but "attackers may be using credentials obtained from an unknown third-party in an attempt to gain unauthorized access" to Arlo accounts and the devices linked to them. Netgear is continuing to investigate exactly what might be happening.

If you want to make sure no one else can log into your various camera feeds, you can change your password through the profile settings page inside the Android or iOS apps, or on the web. As always, don't use the same password for multiple services.

"Precautionary measure"

Netgear says this is a "precautionary measure" and doesn't believe any cameras or systems have been compromised up until this point. We haven't seen any updates from the company since the first forum post over the weekend.

Regularly changing your device passwords and keeping your smart home kit up to date with the latest software patches are two of the best ways to make sure your Internet of Things network doesn't attract any unwelcome visitors. It's also important to look out for security bulletins a lot like this one.

With so many password leaks happening at regular intervals, it's not surprising that tech firms are rushing to get these simple login measures replaced by something more secure, like fingerprint scans. Until that happens everywhere, we'll have to stay vigilant.